|
|
A Quick Conversation with Baltimoore´s Bjorn Lodin - Baltimoore
The rock does not stop with Baltimoore, and that has been the case with these guys for several years into their musical career. Frontman Bjorn Lodin has taken this band through hard rock glory, creating a straight-ahead, balls to the wall sound on their latest release Fanatical, continuing the bands own tradition for forging grinding guitar riffs with sophisticated grooves that embark on a course that offers the listener no-nonsense when it come to the ear candy that these guys provide.
So now seven albums into their career, Lodin explains how their latest platter of melodies fits within the scope of the band's catalog, "I think it shows again how this project can take a new turn of exploration - sound and arrangement wise. It's also an area where I feel very comfortable in. If you look at the other albums you'll find songs that come from the same vein. There are riffs on Fanatical I wrote when I was 14," begins Lodin, who now speaks about the writing and recording process of this record, "After not having writing for a couple of years I finally had some songs and contacted our drummer Hempo and asked if he was up for a project, and he was. I didn't have a ready line-up and was looking for a side-kick on guitar to bounce more ideas with and Hempo hooked me up with Mankan. Coming from the harder side of song writing, he knew what I was talking about and we had a good time putting the songs together. Everything, except for Mankan's guitar, which we did in his studio, was recorded by me in my studio and was done separately. Drums first, then bass etc. Mankan and I mixed it in his studio and I mastered it in mine."
Although us metalheads love our power metal, progressive metal, and the occasional extreme metal, stripped down hard rock/metal is now coming back to the forefront. Releases from artists such as Russell Allen, Soul Sirkus, Locomotive Breath, and Baltimoore are helping bring this "rock" back to the forefront. Lodin explains that music doesn't always need technical arrangements. "Well, I'm a big fan of this way of arranging songs. It's the truth. I don't hide anything, and I don't jerk around with weird sounds that don't exist. It's also a challenge trying to get that "big enough" sound without having to make dubs and stuff. That other stuff never comes through my door so it doesn't bother me."
Having established himself as the frontman, Lodin also produces the records, and has been doing so since their third release, "Another producer and engineer did the first two albums, but from there on I've produced, recorded and mixed. Being a control freak you always learn something new from every project. I think this album gave me a certain confidence and a few new tricks that I'll use for the next one," elaborates Lodin, "(other than Baltimoore) I've done some local productions, folk music, choirs and stuff. Sure, if someone likes what I do and think I might be of help."
So with seven albums behind the band, Lodin simply has this to say about the band's evolution, "Well, everyone involved has grown older and grown up. The business is still as crazy and impossible to get a grip on but, it doesn't bother me anymore and that I think is a step forward. We don't follow."
Being signed to Lion Music, it was a friendship with owner Lars-Erik Mattsson that got the band the deal, and this deal came along at the right time. "When he started Lion Music I was looking for a label for Original Sin. It was a practical solution at the time and we've continued working together. We do one project at the time."
It would be great to see this band out on the rock, kicking ass on stage, but there have been some bumps in the road as Lodin explains, "We've been making plans for touring with every album, but it never happens. We did get together and played one show in August. That was the first in 10 years. We didn't manage to put a tour together simply because we don't have a budget for it. One major consequence of people downloading and copying music is that the labels don't make any money and the bands don't get any tour support. So we started recording another album instead. Hopefully we find a way to do some shows in the spring!"
As of now Baltimoore is currently working on a new album and according it Lodin it will be ready early next year and will contain the same lineup as Fanatical, "More songs are in the pipeline and we'll record at least one more album next year. I'm very creative right now and the guys seem to have a good time as well. In fact, one of the highlights of my career is being able to work with some many talented players."
So with all the music that Lodin and Co. have brought to our aural senses, Baltimoore delivers the high energy hard rock that as Lodin says in his own words "It should be listened to out loud."
| |
Written by Hashman - 12/10/2005 |
This article has been shown 2987 times. Go to the complete list.
RevelationZ Comments
|
|
|
|
Daily Spotlight
Iced Earth - The Crucible of Man, Something Wicked Pt. 2
 Iced Earth led their ride into glory and metal immortality with the amazing power/thrash masterpiece, "Somet....
Read full review
Retro Reviews
(Alanna)
Magnum - Vigilante
 Born in the early 70s as a cover band, released a handful of grandiose fantasy themed discs with a very 70-ish rock flavor, then re-inventing themselves in the 80s as an AOR styled band with outside i....
Read full review
(Alanna)
Whitesnake - Whitesnake
 Whitesnake's self titled album is likely one that is taking up space on your shelf but hasn't been dusted off for awhile. I would know, because my copy had largely suffered the same fate until recentl....
Read full review
Archive
· Albums of the month
· Retro Reviews
|
|
|
